Explosive type of moderate-resistance training induces functional, cardiovascular, and molecular adaptations in the elderly

Abstract

Current recommendations aimed at reducing neuromuscular and functional loss in aged muscle have identified muscle power as a key target for intervention trials, although little is known about the biological and cardiovascular systemic response in the elderly. This study investigated the effects of 12 weeks of low-frequency, moderate-intensity, explosive-type resistance training (EMRT) on muscle strength and power in old community-dwelling people (70-75 years), monitoring functional performance linked to daily living activities (ADL) and cardiovascular response, as well as biomarkers of muscle damage, cardiovascular risk, and cellular stress response. The present study provides the first evidence that EMRT was highly effective in achieving a significant enhancement in muscular strength and power as well as in functional performance without causing any detrimental modification in cardiovascular, inflammatory, and damage parameters. Moreover, trained elderly subjects showed an adaptive response at both systemic and cellular levels by modulation of antioxidant and stress-induced markers such as myeloperoxidase (MPO), heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) and 27 (Hsp27), and thioredoxin reductase 1 (TrxR1).

Resistance Training and Redox Homeostasis: Correlation with Age-Associated Genomic Changes

“…It has been suggested that numerous beneficial effects of exercise may be related to LTL [14,37,18] and to the modulation of the epigenome, which thereby may induce the adaptation of several stress-proteins/molecules response (i.e. antioxidants, heat shock proteins) already observed in different studies [16,47,6,7,9].…”

“…The ageing process is characterized by a reduction in motor capacity due to a gradual decrease of muscle strength and power [23]. It is known that resistance training can counteract physiological and biological age-related negative changes improving the performance of functional capacities and the stress oxidative/ protein response [45,51,6], but the proportion of elderly people who participate in this type of training protocol is currently low.…”

“…Recently we have conducted a controlled trial in which elderly subjects (70-75 years) were randomly divided into training and control group, to evaluate the effect of an EMRT protocol for 12 weeks on muscle strength, power and functional performance, as well as the adaptive response to oxidative stress induced by an acute exercise [11,6]. The study has been expanded utilizing subjects from both the trained group (TR: n¼ 10) and from the control group (CTRL: n ¼10), successfully able to complete the blood samplings at baseline and after the EMRT protocol period.…”

“…The study has been expanded utilizing subjects from both the trained group (TR: n¼ 10) and from the control group (CTRL: n ¼10), successfully able to complete the blood samplings at baseline and after the EMRT protocol period. Our subset resulted to be fully representative of the original groups, being the anthropometric, physiological and functional characteristics overlapping the values of the previous study at both baseline (PRE) and POST-EMRT training (Table 1) [6]. Physical activity level was evaluated using the Modified Baecke Questionnaire for Older Adults [69].…”

“…As previously described [6], a commercial ELISA tests were purchased for the assessment of MPO (EIAab Science Co. Ltd) levels in serum. ELISA tests were performed according to the manufacturer's protocol.…”